The field of the invention relates generally to electromagnetic inductor components, and more particularly to an integrated, multi-phase power inductor component having a configurable number of non-magnetically coupled coil windings for circuit board applications.
Power inductors are used in power supply management applications and power management circuitry on circuit boards for powering a host of electronic devices, including but not necessarily limited to hand held electronic devices. Power inductors are designed to induce magnetic fields via current flowing through one or more conductive windings, and store energy via the generation of magnetic fields in magnetic cores associated with the windings. Power inductors also return the stored energy to the associated electrical circuit by inducing current flow through the windings. Power inductors may, for example, provide regulated power from rapidly switching power supplies in an electronic device. Power inductors may also be utilized in electronic power converter circuitry.
Power inductors are known that include multiple windings integrated in a common core structure. Existing power inductors of this type however, are problematic in some aspects and improvements are desired.